Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch And Dale Earnhardt Jr. Favored In Daytona 500

Sports News - February 9th, 2010 - Written By Bryan

The first points for the 2010 Sprint Cup Series will be awarded at Daytona International Speedway as the "chase for the cup" gets underway. Last year, Matt Kenseth made the drive to victory lane following his win in the 51st running of the Daytona 500. This year's Daytona 500 will take place on Sunday, February 14th, and will be headlined by the biggest names in racing today.

Oddsmakers at Bodog Sportsbook have begun to field bets for the Daytona 500, with many familiar names situated atop the favorites, according to the NASCAR Betting lines.

The last person to win the Sprint Cup Series other than Jimmie Johnson was Tony Stuart, who won the NASCAR championship in 2005. Stewart has won all of the major events in racing except for the Daytona 500, which has eluded him throughout his impressive career. He won four times in 2009, which included the Pocono 500. Stewart finished in fifth place in the Sprint Cup Series. He is currently installed atop the list of favorites to win the 2010 Daytona 500, with odds of 15/2

Young star Kyle Busch is tied atop the betting favorites with Stewart, as he has also been established at 15/2. Busch was the 2009 Nationwide Series champion. He collected four victories last season and finished in 13th place for the Sprint Cup Series. He has yet to win the Daytona 500, but NASCAR analysts believe it is only a matter of time before the 24-year-old breaks through.

Dale Earnhardt Jr has a history of success at Daytona International Speedway, which includes a victory in the Daytona 500 in 2004. He, along with Stewart and Busch, is a 15/2 favorite as well to get the win. Earnhardt has an unsuccessful 2009 race at Daytona, finishing in 27th place after wrecking in lap 124.

Jeff Gordon follows as a leading candidate to win the 2010 Daytona 500. Gordon is a three-time winner of the race (97', 99', 05'). He is one of the most decorated drivers in NASCAR history, having won the season-long championship on four occasions. Gordon has been set as a 9/1 favorite to win his fourth Daytona 500 and begin the season from victory lane.

Jimmie Johnson won the season-long Sprint Cup Series in 2009 for his fourth championship in a row. His four consecutive NASCAR championships established a new record, as no other driver in history had achieved that mark. Johnson won the Daytona 500 once prior, in 2006. He looks to get his 2010 campaign off to a winning start. Johnson has been installed as a 10/1 favorite to win the 2010 Daytona 500.

The 2010 Daytona 500 can be seen live at 1pm Est, and will be broadcast on FOX.